Futuristic Design for Gas-Turbine CNG Trucks

August 9th, 2010 Aaron Turpen

Designer Josef Cadek, from the Czech Republic, has come up with a unique and interesting semi-truck design for long haul driving. The Turbine is extremely aerodynamic, ergonomic, and is powered by a compressed natural gas (CNG) turbine engine which supplies electricity to electric motors to propel the truck.

Two things will strike you immediate when you look at this truck’s profile. First, it’s got a shape very much like a modern train locomotive, with a sleek airstream appearance. Second, the driver doesn’t sit to one side, but sits at center, allowing the cab to have a narrower profile at front to more easily slice through the air and also improving driver visibility.

You might also have noticed an absence of rear-view mirrors. There is no explanation for this, but the assumption of backing cameras is given by the cockpit rendering, which shows two large screens to either side of the steering wheel. Another observation is the forward-seating and large windows, which most driver’s know means that the driver will be in the sun a lot. Dark glass for the top-most windows would remedy that for the most part, however.

Overall, though, the concept is very cool. The large door on the driver’s side is great (I always wanted an RV-style door on my truck) and the coefficient of drag of only 0.45 (he built a physical model and put it in a wind tunnel) is extremely impressive – most cars don’t even achieve that.

The ultra-efficient turbine powering the electric drive means that the truck needs no shifting or major transmission, requires little engine cooling or airflow (in comparison to diesel), and has full torque from 0 RPMs.

Definitely a glimpse into the future to give us an idea of what we may be driving in the decades to come.